TJ & Readers' Advisory

Lately I've worked on some more book list Web pages similar¹ to this one for Jefferson Library: book recommendations from Jefferson to John Garland Jefferson, 1790; William Munford, 1798; Samuel R. Demaree, 1809; and John Wyche, 1809. An interesting portrait of Jefferson-as-librarian emerges from this exercise. These individuals sought his advice on law titles and general good reading to better their community. On the latter matter TJ really shines in readers' advisory (RA). John Wyche writes TJ in March 1809 asking for advice on titles to aid the 'Westward Mill Library Society' in their desires to establish and develop a collection. Jefferson complies, suggesting titles in the categories of History, Natural Philosophy, Agriculture, and General; and TJ's list offers collection development foresight: it is long enough with enough titles in each category that the Society can pick and choose what they can find/afford to start add then build their collection over the years referencing the list. Pretty smart! (On several counts, as the Society wouldn't need to bug TJ again - presumably by the time they exhausted his list they'd have caught on to collection development; teach a man to fish...) In a May 19 1809 letter to Wyche, Jefferson has some interesting stuff to say about libraries:

I always hear with pleasure of institutions for the promotion of knolege among my countrymen. the people of every country are the only safe guardians of their own rights, and are the only instruments which can be used for their destruction. and certainly they would never consent to be so used were they not decieved. to avoid this they should be instructed to a certain degree. I have often thought that nothing would do more extensive good at small expence than the establishment of a small circulating library in every county to consist of a few well chosen books, to be lent to the people of the county under such regulations as would secure their safe return in due time.²

How's that for advocacy? ALA should make t-shirts or something. We talk in library school about Franklin and Carnegie (disclosure: I haven't taken any history of libraries courses, just what I got in Intro, so maybe they know all about this) but it was fun to run across this tidbit in a TJ letter.

Jefferson's instructions to budding lawyers are a little less sentimental. He tells cousin John Garland Jefferson, "All that is necessary for a student is access to a library, and directions in what order the books are to be read."³ Or, you know, Get to it! Jefferson splits his recommended titles across three columns, the first to be read until noon, the second from noon to 2pm, and the third in the evening. This leaves the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which TJ deems "more necessary" than reading, "because health is worth more than learning."⁴ Interesting. But remember there's no rest for a weary body - after calisthenics it's back to 'Burke's George III' or some such by candlelight.

All of these recommended reading lists, and particularly TJ's quip to John Garland Jefferson, have me thinking about St. John's College and their Great Books program. I was accepted to St. John's and wanted to go but couldn't afford it, but thought reading Pythagoras and all that sounded like the bees knees. I think I'm glad my path winded its way, let's say. And looking over TJ's book lists, I'm not sure how quickly I want to leap into the 17 vol. 'King of Prussia's works'. On the other hand, he recommended this to John Wyche, it looks awesome, and I plan to read it when I get some time.


^{1 They're not live yet
2 Papers of Thomas Jefferson Retirement Series 1:205
3 Papers of Thomas Jefferson 16:480
4 Papers of Thomas Jefferson 16:481}